Shaheen Shah Afridi. Image Credits: AFP
During the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Dhaka, a popular Pakistan commentator, also an ex-PCB chief, took a brutal dig at Shaheen Afridi over his drop in pace.
The match began at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on May 8. Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. Babar Azam, however, was missing from the side due to a mysterious injury.
Shaheen Afridi mocked for drop in pace on live TV
That being said, Pakistan went with three pacers, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali, for the first Test. However, Afridi appeared listless after his opening spell with the new ball, where he grabbed the wicket of Mahmudul Hasan Joy.
His pace ranged from 130-135 kph, and commentator Ramiz Raja took a direct dig at him. During live commentary, he called Shaheen a ‘medium pacer.’
“We don't have pacers like Nahid Rana. We have medium pacers. Shaheen Afridi so far has looked like a medium pacer," Raja said.
Interestingly, there was a time when Afridi used to consistently hit 140kph speed. However, since his knee injury in 2022, the sudden drop in pace has been clearly visible.
While Shaheen Afridi refuses to buy the narrative of injury hampering his pace, the sheer difference between his pre and post-injury bowling is self-explanatory.
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Shaheen Afridi’s decline since 2022
For instance, in ODI cricket, Shaheen Afridi’s pace had dropped significantly since 2022. In 2021, 35% of his deliveries landed above 140 kph. However, after the knee injury, the percentage dropped to 11 in 2022, 8 in 2023, 4 in 2024 and 9 in 2025.
A similar trend has been observed in Test and T20I cricket as well. While Shaheen Afridi has been lethal with the new ball, the rest of the spells have been ordinary.
This trend is becoming a serious concern for Pakistan as they have heavily relied on Afridi for left-arm pace and early wickets. When he has an off-day, the rest of the squad also takes a beating.
Right now, Afridi’s pace is something Pakistan should monitor closely, not panic about yet, but definitely not ignore either.
Bangladesh start strong vs Pakistan
Meanwhile, on Day 1 of the first Test, Bangladesh had a strong start after being asked to bat first at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium. At 101/2 after 26 overs, the hosts recovered well from an early wobble thanks to a composed partnership between Mominul Haque and captain Najmul Shanto.
Pakistan struck twice in the opening session, with Shaheen Afridi removing Mahmudul Hasan Joy before Hasan Ali dismissed Shadman Islam to leave Bangladesh under pressure at 31/2.
However, Mominul and Shanto countered patiently, stitching together an unbeaten 70-run stand.
The Test also marks the first meeting between the two sides in the current WTC, with Bangladesh aiming to build on their historic 2-0 series sweep in Pakistan in 2024.
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